‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.’ Aristotle

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ Albert Einstein

Inspiration and Imagination, something every artist needs and is elusive as an island of tranquility in a sea of chaos. Many people have told me that I inspire the children and people in general with what I do. Whether creating art, playing baseball or trying to improve my life, people say that I have inspired others to try new things and look inside themselves. I have always found this interesting because I get my inspiration from these very people.

A prime example is when I drew the staff at my school as cartoon characters or caricatures for their Christmas Cards. It took quit a while to create the caricatures but once the staff received them they loved the cards and caricatures. In the next few weeks I will be posting a few of the characters from the cards because these people inspired me to create these characters. Hopefully they can spur imagination and inspire others.

Steampunk Woman 10

The tenth caricature is a great teacher and a lovely person on top of everything else. The teacher cares deeply about the students and staff she works with as much as her own family. She is always thinking of others that I wanted to she her as a lady with a bit of spice on the side. I therefore began with a blue dress with a visible corset and a frilly skirt to match. I added the sheer top that showed a bit of cleavage and the thigh high stocks for that spicy side. I finished off the look with shoes and a top hat that matched the dress and of course she would not be complete without a sidearm, just incase you decide to mess with her.

She really enjoyed her caricature, as did many of the other staff, which liked the fact that her caricature was showing a lot of leg. I hope you enjoy the tenth steampunk caricature from “Imagine the Impossible.”

‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.’ Aristotle

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ Albert Einstein

Inspiration and Imagination, something every artist needs and is elusive as an island of tranquility in a sea of chaos. Many people have told me that I inspire the children and people in general with what I do. Whether creating art, playing baseball or trying to improve my life, people say that I have inspired others to try new things and look inside themselves. I have always found this interesting because I get my inspiration from these very people.

A prime example is when I drew the staff at my school as cartoon characters or caricatures for their Christmas Cards. It took quit a while to create the caricatures but once the staff received them they loved the cards and caricatures. In the next few weeks I will be posting a few of the characters from the cards because these people inspired me to create these characters. Hopefully they can spur imagination and inspire others.

Steampunk Woman 09

The ninth caricature is a great teacher and one tough cookie. With this in mind I wanted to draw her caricature to reflect it. I began with a corset, a low-cut white blouse and I then added a ruffled skirt to show her feminine side. But then to toughen her up a bit I added the boots and leather greaves. She has longhair yet I added the top hat with the goggles for that tough look. To finish the look I gave her a large steampunk looking rifle with a lot of embellishments on this weapon in comparison to others I have drawn. She is leaning and in the final image she would be leaning on a couple of large crates, similar to the small crate she is stepping on.

She really enjoyed her caricature, as did many of the other staff. I hope you enjoy the ninth steampunk caricature from “Imagine the Impossible.”

‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.’ Aristotle

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ Albert Einstein

Inspiration and Imagination, something every artist needs and is elusive as an island of tranquility in a sea of chaos. Many people have told me that I inspire the children and people in general with what I do. Whether creating art, playing baseball or trying to improve my life, people say that I have inspired others to try new things and look inside themselves. I have always found this interesting because I get my inspiration from these very people.

A prime example is when I drew the staff at my school as cartoon characters or caricatures for their Christmas Cards. It took quit a while to create the caricatures but once the staff received them they loved the cards and caricatures. In the next few weeks I will be posting a few of the characters from the cards because these people inspired me to create these characters. Hopefully they can spur imagination and inspire others.

Steampunk Woman 08

The eighth caricature is a great teacher and friend. I’ve known this person some years and she is as tough as they get and for that reason I wanted her caricature to reflect it. I began be drawing her wearing pants, something women did not do during the Victorian era. I then added knee-high boots and a leather corset with a beige shirt underneath it. Her hair is usually up therefore I drew the caricature with this in mind but I also added the goggles. I added a couple of side bags and gave her a modified rifle with a scope to finish it off.

She really enjoyed her caricature, as did many of the other staff. I hope you enjoy the eighth steampunk caricature from “Imagine the Impossible.”

‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.’ Aristotle

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ Albert Einstein

Inspiration and Imagination, something every artist needs and is elusive as an island of tranquility in a sea of chaos. Many people have told me that I inspire the children and people in general with what I do. Whether creating art, playing baseball or trying to improve my life, people say that I have inspired others to try new things and look inside themselves. I have always found this interesting because I get my inspiration from these very people.

A prime example is when I drew the staff at my school as cartoon characters or caricatures for their Christmas Cards. It took quit a while to create the caricatures but once the staff received them they loved the cards and caricatures. In the next few weeks I will be posting a few of the characters from the cards because these people inspired me to create these characters. Hopefully they can spur imagination and inspire others.

Steampunk Woman 07

The seventh caricature is a great teacher and friend. I’ve known this person some years and she is a lot of fun to be with. I wanted to show this with her outfit. I began with the idea of a frilly dress similar to what a dancer would wear. I added the corset and then elbow length gloves. Her hair was more difficult because she had dark hair with blonde highlights. I had to create a new way of creating hair. Within Illustrator I create an art brush with the desired colour of hair and then drew/painted in the hair. After I added the hat, boots and the revolver to show that she is a lady but someone you don’t want to mess with.

She really enjoyed her caricature, especially the red dress and hair, as did many of the other staff. I hope you enjoy the seventh steampunk caricature from “Imagine the Impossible.”

The December newsletter has been sent out and with it the latest instalment of, The Craziest Things along with it. This month explores a Christmas tradition from a new politically correct point of view.

Many of us have grown up singing and hearing the song about Santa Claus making a naughty and nice list. We all know the verse “He’s making a list. Checking it twice. Going to make sure who’s naughty or nice.” Many of us today sing it and tell it you their children. Many even use it to make sure their child acting good at least for the month before Christmas. But in this modern world of political correctness, how would the naughty and nice list hold up?

Well you’ll just have to read the comic and see what my take on it may be.

I hope you enjoy the latest instalment of, The Craziest Things; Just Misunderstood.

With the Christmas season upon us I indulged on a yearly tradition of setting up my Christmas town at school. A couple of students and the principal asked how long I have been setting up the town at the school. I told them it is the 8th year I have set it up, yet I started building the town about 10 years prior to that starting with only 5 buildings that I hand painted and with a simple train. Today it has grown to over 50 builds, all hand painted and some that I built myself.

Christmas Town / Train

Christmas Town / Train

Christmas Town / Train

Christmas Town / Train: Front view

Christmas Town / Train: Rear View

Christmas Town / Train

Christmas Town / Train: Play area

Christmas Town / Train: Main Street

Christmas Town / Train

Christmas Town / Train

Many have told me that once the town goes up then they start to feel that the Christmas season has arrived. I too feel this once I put up the town, my tree and my nativity scene, which are all up now, the feeling of the Christmas season is upon me. Yet with this feeling of joy and happiness there comes a bit of melancholy. Not because there are those who do not have much, I do feel for them but mostly for the people who have too much. For them Christmas is about acquiring things, or making sure that they get the perfect gift for someone so that you can look good; in other words, excessive consumerism.

Mind you I do go out and get presents for my family, but I always add a personal note letting them know I care about them. Yet as I walk around the malls I have to laugh to myself. I do love to shop but shopping for me is looking at all the people as they scurry around obsessed with getting stuff. I love their reaction when they get the thing and when they cannot. They seem to miss the point of the whole Christmas season and spirit.

Christmas for me is about giving thanks for what I have like my health, family and my passions. It’s not about getting or giving stuff; it’s about appreciating the time you have with others, about giving yourself to them to help them feel happy too. For me the tree, the nativity scene and the town is a symbol that everyone in my life is truly special to me. From my immediate to my extended family, close friends, friends/colleagues and even the students and their parents. Everyone that has touched my life is special to me. That is why I cannot get into this consumerism that seems to be everywhere.

I think the best way to sum up how I feel is a song I heard on a local radio station, CHFI 98.1, which is playing Christmas music until Boxing Day. It is by ‘The Tenors’ – Santa’s Wish (Teach the World). I placed a YouTube link below for you all to see it and I think if you do, you too may feel the same way.

‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.’ Aristotle

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ Albert Einstein

Inspiration and Imagination, something every artist needs and is elusive as an island of tranquility in a sea of chaos. Many people have told me that I inspire the children and people in general with what I do. Whether creating art, playing baseball or trying to improve my life, people say that I have inspired others to try new things and look inside themselves. I have always found this interesting because I get my inspiration from these very people.

A prime example is when I drew the staff at my school as cartoon characters or caricatures for their Christmas Cards. It took quit a while to create the caricatures but once the staff received them they loved the cards and caricatures. In the next few weeks I will be posting a few of the characters from the cards because these people inspired me to create these characters. Hopefully they can spur imagination and inspire others.

Steampunk Woman 06

The sixth caricature is a great mom, teacher and friend. I’ve known this person for many years and I wanted to show that she is not someone to mess with. I started with a short sleeve shirt with a corset but then I added the dagger on the sleeve. I had her in a pair of pants to show that she doesn’t conform to what society says to do. I drew in a pair of repeating pistols that are very similar to Han Solo’s gun from Star Wars. I then drew in the gun belt, goggles and pouch but the big thing was her hair. She once had dreadlocks and I wanted to draw her with dreads. It was a bit of a challenge but in the end I liked the end result.

She really enjoyed her caricature, especially the dreadlocks, as did many of the other staff. I hope you enjoy the sixth steampunk caricature from “Imagine the Impossible.”

About Me

Born and raised in Toronto Canada, I am an Occasional Teacher and supply Early Childhood Educator (ECE) working with students from kindergarten to grade 5. The one thing you should know about me is that I love all art forms but especially drawing, writing and music.
I discovered that when I inspire others, they in turn inspire me. This wonderful realization is the inspiration in creating this blog. My creativity comes from the people around me. Hopefully, I can inspire others as they have inspired me.
I try and post everyTuesday and Friday along the following themes:

Tuesday – I will try to post some of my art or that of the children’s
Friday “Friday Two Cents” – I will try to post my opinion, or my two cents, on something that happened in the news or to me during the week.

But watch out during the other days of the week just in case. If I find something Inspiring, Interesting or Creative, I will do my best to share it